


To the Moon and Back

by sugarblossom



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime)
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Papa Kukui
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-18
Updated: 2019-12-18
Packaged: 2021-02-17 23:20:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21851326
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sugarblossom/pseuds/sugarblossom
Summary: Ash and Kukui might be regions apart, but they're still under the same sky.
Relationships: Kukui-hakase | Professor Kukui & Satoshi | Ash Ketchum, Satoshi | Ash Ketchum & Satoshi's Pikachu | Ash Ketchum's Pikachu
Comments: 19
Kudos: 109





	To the Moon and Back

Snapping his eyes open, Ash stared up at Gou’s bunk bed. His heart pounded like he sprinted across the ocean, but he made no sound himself. He’s trained himself too well. Tumbling off the bed, Ash sighed as he saw Pikachu’s ears twitching in the dark.

“You’re awake, huh? Sorry for waking you.” Ash mumbled. Pikachu peeked an eye open, tail uncurling as he stretched, hopping onto Ash’s shoulder with a soft chirp. “Yeah, just the usual. You know how it is.” Pikachu nodded with sad eyes as Ash rubbed his eyes, picking up his phone from beside the two sleeping rotoms. 

Ash walked out of the room like second nature, careful of all the places where the floor might creak. The duo stood outside, glancing up at the sky devoid of lights. Pikachu nudged at Ash’s arm, cooing. 

Ash stared down at his phone, tracing between the gaps in his fingers with a sigh. “I do miss him, but… he knows the time zones. Yes, he’s definitely awake, I shouldn’t be.” Ears twitching, Pikachu curled around Ash’s neck, slowly purring. “You wish he was here too, huh?” Pikachu gave a sharp chirp, pointing at Ash’s phone. Chuckling, Ash turned it on with a gulp.

As the two of them sat down on the grass, the video chat connected. “Hello? Professor Kukui here.”

“Hi, professor…”

Kukui’s head jolted upwards as he stared at the chat. “Ash? What’s wrong?”

“I didn’t even say-”

“You’re sad. Did you have a nightmare again?” he softly asked, almost like he didn’t want Ash to shatter in front of his eyes. Pikachu answered a positive for Ash with a wave and nod.

Ash mumbled, “You look… bad.” Kukui raised an eyebrow, and Pikachu sweatdropped. “Ok fine, you look a little tired. When did you last eat?” Kukui dropped his pen on the table, staring directly at Ash through the screen with a sad expression while Pikachu nuzzled Ash’s cheek. “...I just feel like I’m being a bother. To people here. To Professor Sakuragi, to Gou, to-”

“Ash, it’s perfectly alright.” Glancing between Kukui and Pikachu, who hopped down next to him with a soft chirp, Ash sighed.

“...Thank you.”

Kukui’s smile burst outwards like a volcano. “There we go! Instead of saying sorry, make your statements positive!” Pumping his fists, Pikachu also squeaked excitedly.

“I don’t know how! What I feel, what I say, it’s just so… confusing!”

“Alright, start with a thank you. Thank the other person for their patience or time or whatever they help you with.”

Pikachu seemed to sense what Ash was feeling and poked at his side. “Oh. Thank you for the advice!” Ash grinned, about to end the call and freezing when Kukui put up a hand and got up from his work desk.

“Ash, this isn’t any different than you were in Alola.”

“I just… Why do I still get nightmares? What do I do?”

Kukui took his phone up, taking a deep breath that Ash copied as Pikachu ran under his hand for pets. “If this is the first time since you left, I’d say that’s an improvement!”

“It’s one day less!” Ash hissed, laying down on the grass with a huff, Pikachu curling on top of his chest.

Pushing the office door open, Kukui walked through his house, still keeping his eyes on the chat. “Baby steps, Ash. You can’t really control your thoughts and dreams any more than you can nightmares. Just know that you are stronger than you feel.”

Hand reaching up and encircling the moon, Ash muttered, “I only feel empty. I’m not crying or anything.” Pikachu gave a warning coo, patting Ash’s cheek with his tail.

Kukui tore his eyes away from the screen and also stared up at the sky. “ ...I hate how people seem to understand how hard you’re trying to hold yourself together only if you have a breakdown. Can’t they just believe that you’re struggling with life?”

“I… Because I don’t usually show this side of me. To anyone. Since…” Sighing, Pikachu’s ears wilted. Ash winced, reaching forward and tickling Pikachu’s cheeks.

“You really don’t want to talk about yourself,” Kukui completed. 

“Yeah, I’m usually always like ‘oh I can’t believe I get to be a person!’ instead of ‘oh I can’t believe I have to be a person...’” They stayed silent for a few seconds, and Pikachu scooted closer to Ash’s face with a chirp.

“So, do you want to talk about your nightmare or be distracted from it?”

Ash mumbled, patting Pikachu’s fluffy back, “Distracted from it.”

“Can you see any constellations that you’ve learned?”

“The stars aren’t visible, but the moon’s always there.” Ash chuckled to himself. “Even during the day sometimes.”

“Mhm! While the sun fuels life on the planet, the moon makes that life better, through tidal waves and-

“It just looks cool... Especially with its little dents and flaws.”

Kukui smiled. “Those are the craters. The moon is always there to shield the planet from harm. The same moon that you see every day. It’s kinda symbolic, really, that the moon changes phases, reminding us of how time passes and nothing is permanent. Not sadness, not joy.”

“And not life.” Ears twitching, Pikachu hopped onto Ash’s face and hissed down at him.

Kukui watched Ash trying to wrestle Pikachu off his face with a chuckle, before pursing his lips. “Oh, I see… Well, by that logic, death isn’t permanent either. Of course, different religions have different thoughts on reincarnation, but scientifically, all of the atoms in someone’s body goes back into nature when they die. So in the end, you never really die, just exchanging your components with the earth.” Pikachu waved his arms as Ash sat back up, landing in his lap and pouting.

Ash’s smile wavered as he glanced back at Kukui. “Yeah, but I… I just…”

“Lucario wanted you to live, Ash, so live his share, ok?” There was a moment of silence. “Why don’t you start a gratitude journal? What’s something you find pretty or cool in life?” Ash grinned at Pikachu, stroking the edges of his tail before glancing upwards.

“...The moon is always an option.” Kukui nodded, staying silent as Ash lightly tossed his phone to the grass next to him. “Oh wait, can you see the moon over there?”

“Yeah. As you mentioned, it’s visible even during the day.”

“Whoa… You know, I’m glad there’s only one moon. I couldn’t pick a favorite if there were multiple.” Pikachu leaned against Ash, nodding.

“Me neither, but you’re unique.” Ash was silent, not admitting he need help like always. “You notice how people say ‘he looked at her like she was the sun?’ I think ‘like she was the moon’ is a better phrase. The moon is always close to us. It’s always shining, even if we don’t see it. It’s always there for us.” Kukui’s voice turned jokey. “You could say the moon represents childlike wonder and rebirth.” Ash glanced down at Pikachu and patted his head, both of them staring up at the moon.

“That’s the same moon though.”

Kukui nodded, even if Ash couldn’t see it. “So many people and pokemon have seen this same moon. Be it historical figures, royalty, champions, legendaries and mythical pokemon…”

“In that case, we also share the same planet and universe!” Pikachu gave a joyful squeak, causing Ash to giggle.

“Yep, that’s all that matters. Even if we’re so far, we’re super close in terms of space.”

Ash hummed in agreement, picking Pikachu up like a giant plush toy. “The moon really is beautiful tonight… You know what else is beautiful?” Kukui raised an eyebrow as Ash jostled his phone, causing the video chat to shake as Ash pointed the camera to himself.

“What?”

“The stars, the planets, the entire galaxy and every living creature in it. It’s why I bear these things in the first place and try to help everyone... Because I love this world.” Pikachu gave a satisfied squeak, tail twitching and patting Ash’s arm.

Kukui gave Ash a bittersweet smile. “And I’m sorry you have to suffer because of it, but I’m glad you’re feeling a little better.”

“...Sorry for interrupting.”

“You are always welcome to call. Better yet, come back to Alola and make yourself right at home!” As Ash held up his phone and met Kukui’s eyes, Kukui muttered, “Stay as long as you need.”

“Professor, I…”

“I’m not your teacher anymore, Ash. We’re close enough that you can call me whatever you want.”

“...” Pikachu tilted his head, glancing between his trainer and Kukui.

“It’s okay. If you’re lonely, let me be your moon. I may not be able to take this weight off your shoulders, but I’ll always be here for you.”

Ash took a soft breath. “I’ve always wanted to learn how to be loved, but it looks like I have to learn how to love myself instead.”

“I’ll love you without any strings attached. You’ve always tried to help everyone else, so it’s time for you to get around healing yourself too.” Cooing softly, Pikachu hopped onto Ash’s head, kneading at Ash’s hair.

“I… don’t even know where to start! It’s too early to think about when I… when it all fell apart.”

“That’s alright. Recovery takes time, and it’s not linear either. All that I want for you is to doze off safe and soundly.” Pikachu gave a small chirp of agreement, causing Ash to smile.

“...Thank you for supporting me. If you two are with me, then everything's alright.”

“Totally alright if it isn’t, Ash-!” Like flipping a switch, Ash’s other pokemon squeezed into the video chat and greeted their trainer with enthusiasm. Ash and Kukui both sweatdropped, soft smiles on their faces as they shook their heads in exasperation. Pikachu nearly fell when waving at his friends, so Ash held Pikachu back in his arms.

“Thanks, dad,” Ash mumbled, flushing a little when everyone stared at him with a grin. Pikachu in particular with a smug smirk. “For everything.”

“Well, you know what they say. I love you to the moon and back, son.”

**Author's Note:**

> Idea from UnknownWanderer  
> Random trivia: astrum=star; nauta=sailor -> astronaut = star sailor  
> Inspired by a combination of Owl City - Vanilla Twilight and Laura Shigihara - Everything’s Alright and Sleeping at last - Two


End file.
